Tain Tolbooth

The first municipal building in Tain was a medieval tolbooth which was instigated by the then provost, John McCullough, in 1631. A bell, cast by the Dutch foundryman, Michael Burgerhuys of Middelburg, was specially made in time for its opening. The non-conformist minister, Thomas Ross was incarcerated in the tolbooth between 1675 and 1676.{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=P. Hume |title=The register of the Privy Council of Scotland. 3rd series |date=1927 |publisher=To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses 120, George Street, Edinburgh |page=268 |volume=5 1676–1678 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112103825693;view=1up;seq=316 |access-date=7 April 2019}} However, it became necessary to demolish the old tolbooth after the steeple collapsed in a storm in 1703.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=J4zRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA277 |title= Domestic Annals of Scotland: 1689-1748|year= 1861|publisher=W. and R. Chambers |page=277}}

The current tolbooth was designed by Alexander Stronach in the Scottish baronial style, built in coursed stone and was completed in 1708.{{cite web|url= http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=422058 |title=Tolbooth| publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects| access-date=15 August 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/library/browse/details.xhtml?recordId=3186824&recordType=Journal |title=The earliest tolbooths: a preliminary account|first=Geoffrey |last=Stell|publisher=Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland|volume=111|pages=445–453|year=1981}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8oLlo79tP2wC |title= Tolbooths and Town-houses Civic Architecture in Scotland to 1833|publisher= Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland|year= 1996|isbn= 978-0114957995 |page=196}} The design involved a three-stage tower facing onto the High Street. The tower contained small sash windows in the second and third stages. The tolbooth was accompanied by a two-storey council house, extending southeast along the High Street, which was also completed in 1708. The upper part of the tolbooth was enhanced by the addition of corner bartizans and a spire in 1733. The bell, which had been recovered from the old tolbooth, was installed in the third stage of the tower in 1733 and a clock was installed there in 1750.

In 1751, William Ross, who was a member of the prominent Ross family and the son of the 18th Chief, was arrested and incarcerated in the tolbooth for wearing highland dress{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wQYwyh5V-NQC&pg=PA52 |title= Traditional Gaelic Bagpiping, 1745-1945 |first= John G. |last=Gibson|year= 1998 |page=52|publisher= McGill-Queen's University Press|isbn= 978-0773568907}} and, in 1829, three prisoners escaped from the building.{{cite book|url= https://www.tainmuseum.org.uk/article.php?id=130 |title= A daring escape from Tain Tolbooth|date=21 October 1829| access-date=15 August 2022}}

The old two-storey council house, extending along the High Street, was demolished in the early 1820s. The foundation stone for a new courthouse was laid in 1825: it was designed by Alexander Gordon and completed in around 1826 but was destroyed in a fire, just six years later, in 1833. The current courthouse was designed by Thomas Brown, built in ashlar stone and was completed in 1843.{{cite web|url= http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=200637 |title= Tain Courthouse and prison|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects| access-date=15 August 2022}} The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage of four bays facing onto the High Street. There was a round headed doorway in the second bay from the left and the right-hand bay was gabled and slightly projected forward. The building was fenestrated by pairs of round headed windows on the ground floor and bi-partite mullioned windows on the first floor. At roof level, there was a crenelated parapet with corner turrets. Internally, the principal room was the courtroom on the ground floor at the front of the building.

Modifications made the tolbooth in the 19th century included the installation, in 1848, of a new doorway and a panel above it bearing a Lion rampant.{{canmore|num=14724|desc= Tain, High Street, Tolbooth, Tower| access-date=15 August 2022}} The courthouse was extended to the rear with an additional four-bay block, which was built to a design by Andrew Maitland and completed in 1876.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bCQrX-IFTYC&pg=PA66|title=Highland and Islands (Buildings of Scotland Series)|first= John |last=Gifford|year=2003|page=66|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0300096255}} A new clock was installed in the tower of the tolbooth in 1877. The complex continued to accommodate the council chamber of the burgh council for much of the 20th century,{{London Gazette|issue=18016|page=161|date=16 March 1962|city=e}} but ceased to be the local seat of government after the enlarged Ross and Cromarty District Council was formed in 1975.{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/65/contents|title=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|publisher=Legislation.gov.uk|accessdate=29 March 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10362192 |title=Tain Burgh|publisher=Vision of Britain| access-date=15 August 2022}} Instead, the council chamber became the meeting place of the Royal Burgh of Tain Community Council.{{cite web|url= http://www.tainroyalburgh.org/meetings.asp |title=Meetings|publisher= The Royal Burgh of Tain Community Council|access-date=15 August 2022}} The building also continues to serve as the venue for hearings of Tain Sheriff Court.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/courts-and-tribunals/courts-tribunals-and-office-locations/find-us/tain-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court/ |title=Tain Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court|publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service|access-date=3 October 2024}}

Works of art in the complex include a portrait, painted in 1907 by George Fiddes Watt, of Alexander Wallace who was Honorary Sheriff Substitute for Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland.{{cite web|url= https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/bailie-alexander-wallace-of-tain-jp-honorary-sheriff-substitute-for-ross-and-cromarty-and-sutherland-167380/search/venue:tain-council-chamber-6663/page/1/view_as/grid |title= Bailie Alexander Wallace of Tain, JP, Honorary Sheriff Substitute for Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland|first=George Fiddes|last= Watt|publisher=Art UK| access-date=15 August 2022}}

• List of listed buildings in Tain, Highland
• List of Category A listed buildings in Highland

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Category:Government buildings completed in 1708

Category:City chambers and town halls in Scotland

Category:Category A listed buildings in Highland (council area)

Category:Tain